Texas immediately restores voter ID law after Supreme Court decision

Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott announced Tuesday his state will re-establish its voter ID law after the Supreme Court struck down a section of the 1965 Voting Rights Act that required certain states to seek federal approval before changing the electoral process.

Congress must devise a new racial calculus to determine which counties and states must petition the federal government to change election laws, the majority announced.

Texas greeted the ruling with plans to implement its suspended voter ID laws and district maps.

“With today’s decision, the State’s voter ID law will take effect immediately. Redistricting maps passed by the Legislature may also take effect without approval from the federal government,” Abbott’s statement read.

In March 2012, the Department of Justice struck down the law, claiming it would disproportionally affect the state’s growing Hispanic population. Gov. Rick Perry pushed back fiercely, calling the decision “pervasive federal overreach.”

“The DOJ has no valid reason for rejecting this important law, which requires nothing more extensive than the type of photo identification necessary to receive a library card or board an airplane,” the governor said in a statement.

Abbott praised the court’s decision and the removal of the unequal application of federal laws.

“The U.S. Constitution establishes one United States — not a divided nation with different laws applying to different states. Laws that apply unequally to just some states have no place in our nation,” his statement read. “Today’s ruling ensures that Texas is no longer on of just a few states that must seek approval from the federal government before its election laws can take effect.”